Car-coupling.



Patented Aug. 7,1900.

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(Application filei Max. 5; 1900.)

(N0 Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MCDONALD, OF LUXoRA ARKANSAS.

CAR-COUPLING.

srnorricArron arming part of Letters Patent Ne. 655,263, dated August 7, 1900.

1 Application filed March v5, 1900. Serial No. 7,371. (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLI M MCDONALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Luxora, in the county of Mississippi and State of? Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Oar-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of a car-coupling constructed in accord ance with this invention and shown applied to a box-car. tional View showing two draw-heads coupled. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail View illustrating the construction for supporting the coupling-pin in an elevated position. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the link-engaging plates. Fig. 6 is a detail longitudinal sectional View of the draw-head, the plates, springs, and the coupling-pin being removed to show the vertical and horizontal ribs.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawlngs.

1 designates a draw-head designed to be mounted on" a car 2 in the usual manner and provided with a coupling-pin perforation 3 for the reception of a coupling-pin 4, which is adapted to engage a link 5 of the usual construction. The link 5 is held between a pair of upper and lower spring-pressed plates 6, providedwith registering perforations for the passage of the coupling-pin and havingnotches 8 to receive upper and lower vertical ribs 9, located on the inner faces of the sides of the drawhead and forming vertical guides for the said Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sec-- plates. The vertical ribs," which are formed integral with the sides of the draw-head, are

located above and below horizontal ribs or enlargements 10, forming stops and located opposite the center of the draw-head. The

openings 7 of the spring-pressed plates are elongated, and the springs 11, which are located at the top and bottom of the draw-head,

.tal ribs or enlargements 10, which extend longitudinally of the draw-head, space the plates apart, and the springs hold the plates firmly against the upper and lower edges of the said ribs or enlargements 10. The outer portions 15 of the spring-pressed plates are curved and diverge to form flaring mouths to receive and guide the link into the draw-head, and the rear portions of the plates are horizontal and parallel and are capable of supporting the link in a horizontal position for guiding it into a draw-head. The vertical ribs,-which form guides for the plates, terminate short of the top and bottom of the drawhead to provide openings or recesses 16 to enable the plates to be readily engaged with and disengaged from them when the springs are removed. When the springs are in position, they effectually prevent the plates from becoming accidentally disengaged from the vertical ribs, as they cannot be compressed sufficiently to permit the plates to be brought opposite the openings or recesses 16.

The coupling-pin is provided at its upper end with an eye 17, through which pass an arm 18 and an operating-rod 19, and the latter extends to the top of the box-car 2, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. The operating-rod, which is vertically movable, is provided at its upper end with a suitable grip or handle 20, and it is angularly bent between its ends at 21 to enable its upper portion to clear the running-board of the top of the car. The lower upright portion of the operating-rod passes through a guide 22, consisting of a perforated ear or flange extending horizontally from a plate which is secured to the car, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

When the car-coupling is applied to flatcars and similar freight-cars, as illustrated at the left-hand side of Fig. 2 of the drawings, a short operating-rod 23 is employed and is supported by a short post 24, mounted upon the car at the end thereof. The rod 23 is straight from the lower arm to the handle or grip, and it passes through a guide 25, mounted upon the post 24. The operating-rod is held against upward and downward movement and is supported in an elevated position by means ofra coiled spring 26, mounted on a guide 27,

through which the operating-rod passes. The guide 27 consists of a bar or piece secured at its inner portion to the car and having its outer portion 28 offset or bent upward from in its guides and holds it in an elevated posi- The outer end cated within the draw-head and interlocked with the guides, and the upper and lower springs holding the plates against'the intermediate stops, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided at the inner faces of its sides with vertical guides and having longitudinal ribs or enlargements located between the ends of the guides, upper and lower plates interlocked with the guides and fitting against the upper and lower faces of the ribs or enlargements, and upper and lower springs engaging the plates and holding the same against the ribs orienlargements, substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head providedat the inner faces of its sides with vertical ribs, and having upper tlon.

' It will be seen that the car-coupling is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is capable of being readily operated, and that the spring-pressed plates will support a link in .a horizontal position for guiding it into a draw-head to obviate the necessity of guiding it by hand. I I

vWhat is claimed is I 1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided at the inner faces of its sides with longitudinal ribs located at points between the top and bottom of thedrawhead, plates located within the draw-head and fitting against the upper and lower edges of the ribs, and upper and lower springs engaging the plates and holding the same against the ribs, substantially as described.

,.-2.. I,In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided at the inner faces of its sideswith vertical guides and having intermediate stops, the upper and lower plates 10- 0. in a car-coupling, the combinatlon'ot a draw-head, a coupling-pin, an operating-rod connected with the coupling-pin, a guide consisting of a bar secured at its inner portion and having its outer portion offset from the plane of the inner portion and provided with an openingreceiving the operating-rod, said oifset outer portion forming a shoulder at its inner end and providing a space between itand the part to which the inner portion is secured, and a coiled spring disposed on the outer offset portion of the guide-bar and interposed between the said shoulder and the operating-rod, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed mysignature in the-presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MCDONALD.

Witnesses:

O. F. HEDRIOK, H. W. SPANN. 

